The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have expressed their gratitude to staff from The Royal Parks for their dedication during the pandemic. Charles and Camilla visited Hyde Park on Wednesday to personally thank employees for maintaining London's green spaces, which provided a vital escape for the public during lockdown.
During the visit, Camilla enjoyed a 99 ice cream from the charity's van, with Charles encouraging her to 'get stuck in' to the treat. The couple spoke with gardeners, apprentices, cleaning staff, litter pickers, volunteers, and the mounted police force, acknowledging their hard work.
Park staff described the period as 'challenging but rewarding' and appreciated the recognition. Hyde Park's 'super' nursery, which supplies all 450,000 bedding plants and shrubs for the eight Royal Parks, including gardens outside Buckingham Palace, was also highlighted.
Nursery manager Mike Jones, who has worked there for 29 years, noted the expansion to 1,000 flower varieties using advanced technology. He said: 'It’s a great feeling to know that you’re providing to help people’s mental wellbeing and their stress levels.'
The Royal Parks charity, launched by Charles in 2017, welcomes 77 million visitors annually across 5,000 acres of historic parkland. Chief executive Andrew Scattergood remarked: 'This year with everything we’ve been through just the importance of green spaces and that access to nature is hugely important.'
